2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class trailer

R
When driving down an incline, make use of
the engine's braking effect. Observe the
engine speed; do not overrev the engine.
R Before driving on extreme uphill and down-
hill gradients, select the LOW RANGE off-
road gear (Y page 261).
R Drive slowly.
R Avoid high engine speeds. Drive at appro-
priate engine speeds (maximum
3,000 rpm).
R Use the left-hand paddle shifter to shift into
a lower gear in good time on long and steep
downhill gradients.
R Check the brakes after prolonged off-road
driving.
i Hill start assist will aid you when pulling
away on a hill.
For further information about hill start
assist, see (Y page 171).
Do not switch to transmission position N
when driving off-road. If you try to brake the
vehicle using the service brake, you could
lose control of the vehicle. If the gradient is
too steep for your vehicle, drive back down in
reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure
angle values (Y page 457).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient climb-
ing ability values (Y page 457).
Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immedi-
ately before reaching the brow of the hill. Use
the vehicle's own impetus to drive over the
top of the hill.
This style of driving prevents:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side Driving downhill R
Drive slowly.
R Do not drive at an angle down steep
inclines. Steer into the line of fall and drive
with the front wheels aligned straight. Oth- erwise, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip
and rollover.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
paddle shifter before tackling steep down-
hill gradients.
R Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line
of fall.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i The special off-road ABS setting enables a
precise, brief and repeated locking of the
front wheels. This causes them to dig into
loose earth. Be aware that the front wheels easily skid across the ground surface if
completely braked and therefore lose their
ability to steer. Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. You must
select a lower gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. By doing
so, you will make use of the braking effect of
the engine. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h). Driving systems
203Driving and parking Z

Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake
R you are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you activate DSR
R you activate off-road program 2 on vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
Cruise Con‐
trol Off
trol Off message in the multifunction dis-
play for approximately five seconds.
i When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared. DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. DIS-
TRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so that
the set speed is not exceeded.
You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially
if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine. This relieves the load on
the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a slower-moving
vehicle in front, your vehicle is braked in order
to maintain the preset distance to the vehicle in front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot pre-
vent a collision without your intervention. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the distance warning lamp will light up in the instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you, the radar
sensor system must be operational.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h). If a vehicle is driving in front of
you, it operates in the speed range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
i USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotiveradar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved way. 206
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

!
If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function
(Y page 219).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission is in position D,Ror N
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until 0043appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again. Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R you shift the transmission to position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until 0043disap-
pears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service brake.
The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle if the HOLD function is
activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there
is a malfunction, the transmission may also
be automatically shifted into position P. AIRMATIC package
General notes AIRMATIC regulates the level of your vehicle.
As well as level control (Y page 221), your
vehicle can be equipped with ADS (Adaptive
Damping System) (Y page 220) and ACTIVE
CURVE SYSTEM (Y page 220).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Y page 265). Driving systems
219Driving and parking Z

Comfort mode
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a comfortable driving
style. Select comfort mode also when driving
fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight
stretches of freeway.
X Press button 0043repeatedly until indicator
lamps 0087and 0044go out.
You have selected Comfort mode. The vehi- cle is raised by 10 mm compared with Sport
+ suspension tuning.
The AMG Suspension System COMFORT
AMG Suspension System COMFORT
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a replace-
ment for your attention to your immediate
surroundings. You are always responsible for
safe maneuvering, parking and exiting a park- ing space. When maneuvering, parking or
pulling out of a parking space, make sure thatthere are no persons, animals or objects in
the area in which you are maneuvering.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars. PARK-
TRONIC does not detect such objects when they are in the immediate vicinity of the
vehicle. You could damage the vehicle or
the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction. PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
R Release the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/ h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper and four sensors in the rear bumper. 0043
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example)
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into con-
sideration that are:
R below the detection range, e.g. people, ani-
mals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g. overhang-
ing loads, truck overhangs or loading
ramps. Driving systems
225Driving and parking Z

Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R,
Nor the vehicle
is rolling back-
wards Rear and front areas
activated
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for approx-
imately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two sec-
onds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC 0043
Indicator lamp
0044 To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp 0043is on then PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock. Towing a trailer !
Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC meas-
ures the minimum detection range to an
obstacle from the bumper, not the ball cou- pling.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer. Driving systems
227Driving and parking Z

Active Parking Assist may possibly indicate
parking spaces which are not suitable for
parking, for example:
R where parking or stopping is prohibited
R in front of driveways or entrances and exits
R on unsuitable surfaces
Parking tips:
R On narrow roads, drive as close to the park-
ing space as possible.
R Parking spaces that are littered or over-
grown might be identified or measured
incorrectly.
R Parking spaces that are partially occupied
by trailer drawbars might not be identified
as such or be measured incorrectly.
R Snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R Pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Y page 226 )warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R At any time, you can intervene in the steer-
ing procedure to correct it. Active Parking
Assist will then be canceled.
R When transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use
Active Parking Assist.
R Never use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed.
R Make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct. This has a direct influence
on the parking characteristics of the vehi-
cle.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are on straight roads, not bends
R that are on the same level as the road, e.g.
not on the pavement
Detecting parking spaces Objects located above the height range of
Active Parking Assist will not be detected
when the parking space is measured. These
are not taken into account when the parking procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles. G
WARNING
If there are objects above the detection range, Active Parking Assist may turn prematurely.
You may cause a collision as a result. There is
a risk of an accident.
If there are objects above the detection range,
stop and deactivate Active Parking Assist.
For further information on the detection
range (Y page 225).
Active Parking Assist does not support you
with parking spaces parallel to the direction
of travel if:
R the parking space is on a curb
R the system reads the parking space as
being blocked, for example by foliage or
grass paving blocks
R the area is too small for the vehicle to
maneuver into
R the parking space is bordered by an obsta-
cle, e.g. a tree, a post or a trailer 0043
Detected parking space on the left
0044 Parking symbol
0087 Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is switched on automat-
ically when driving forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately 22 mph (35 km/h). While in operation, the
system independently locates and measures
parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle. Driving systems
229Driving and parking Z

the
Park Assist Finished
Park Assist Finished message
appears in the multifunction display. You will
then have to steer and merge into traffic on
your own. PARKTRONIC is still available. You
can take over the steering, before the vehicle has exited the parking space completely. This
is useful, for example when you recognize
that it is already possible to pull out of the
parking space.
Canceling Active Parking Assist X
Stop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or steer yourself.
Active Parking Assist will be canceled at
once. The Park Assist Canceled
Park Assist Canceled mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
or X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the cen-
ter console (Y page 227).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately canceled.
The Park Assist Canceled Park Assist Canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled automati-
cally if: R the electric parking brake is engaged
R transmission position Pis selected
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible
R you are driving faster than 6 mph (10 km/h)
R a wheel spins, ESP ®
intervenes or fails. The
00E5 warning lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
A warning tone sounds. The parking symbol
goes out and the Park Assist Canceled
Park Assist Canceled
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
If Active Parking Assist is canceled, you must
steer again yourself.
Towing a trailer For vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the min-
imum length for parking spaces is slightly
increased. If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle,
you should not use Active Parking Assist.
Once the electrical connection is established
between your vehicle and the trailer, Active
Parking Assist is no longer available. PARK-
TRONIC is deactivated for the rear area. Rear view camera
General notes Rear view camera
0043is in the handle on the
tailgate.
Rear view camera 0043is an optical parking and
maneuvering aid. It shows the area behind
your vehicle with guide lines in the COMAND display.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
i The text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear view camera messages in the COMAND
display.
Important safety notes The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your imme- diate surroundings. You are always responsi-
ble for safe maneuvering and parking. When
maneuvering or parking, make sure that there are no persons, animals or objects in the area
in which you are maneuvering. 232
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

Under the following circumstances, the rear
view camera will not function, or will function
in a limited manner:
R if the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent bulbs or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In this
event, have the camera position and setting checked at a qualified specialist workshop
The field of vision and other functions of the
rear view camera may be restricted due to
additional accessories on the rear of the vehi-
cle (e.g. license plate holder, bicycle rack).
Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera X
To activate: make sure that the SmartKey
is in position 2in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that the function "show rear
view camera display" is selected in
COMAND.
X Engage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display with guide lines.
X To change the function mode for vehi-
cles with trailer tow hitch: using theCOMAND controller, select symbol
0043for
the "Reverse parking" function or sym-
bol 0044for "Coupling up a trailer" (see the
separate COMAND operating instructions). The symbol of the selected function is high- lighted.
To deactivate: the rear view camera deacti-
vates if you shift the transmission to Por after
driving forwards a short distance.
Displays in the COMAND display The rear view camera may show a distorted
view of obstacles, show them incorrectly or
not at all. The rear view camera does not show
objects in the following positions:
R very close to the rear bumper
R under the rear bumper
R in the area immediately above the tailgate
handle
! Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
R the bumper of a parked vehicle
R the drawbar of a trailer
R the ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
R the rear section of an HGV
R a slanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approach objects no further than the bot-
tom-most guideline. Driving systems
233Driving and parking Z